Trabzonspor look to crown dream debut at Lille
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Article summary
Şenol Güneş was quick to point out Trabzonspor AŞ were not expected to survive their first group stage campaign as they go to LOSC Lille Métropole with a great chance to progress.
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In a UEFA Champions League debut where they have done far more than just make up the numbers, Trabzonspor AŞ are looking to cap their group stage campaign with a place in the last 16. If LOSC Lille Métropole, their matchday six hosts and rivals for second place in Group B, were in any doubt of the task they face, visiting coach Şenol Güneş warned them the Turkish side are "not here to be just sparring partners".
Trabzonspor are a point ahead of Lille, who are mounting a late charge in the section. Both sides would be through with victory, but a draw could let in PFC CSKA Moskva, who need three points at pool winners FC Internazionale Milano to stand a chance.
Lille
Coach Rudi Garcia
The good thing about our position is that there are no two ways to play this match. We won't change our game and will respect our approach of attacking football. Our objective is to reach the last 16. We had to win our last two matches to keep our hopes alive: we won our 'semi-final' in Moscow, and tomorrow will be our 'final', against Trabzonspor.
You don't play a final just for the sake of it, you play to win it. We'll need the support of our fans, but it's also our job to make sure everyone experiences a great evening. The presence of the Turkish fans doesn't perturb me – it will only add to the atmosphere.
Weekend result
• Saturday: AC Ajaccio 2-3 Lille (Chedjou og 2, Ilan 37; Obraniak 12, Baša 16, Hazard 80pen)
Landreau; Debuchy, Baša, Chedjou, Béria; Balmont, Mavuba; Obraniak, Cole (Hazard 56), Payet (Bonnart 82); Jeleń (Sow 56)
• Four games without a victory before matchday five, Lille claimed a third successive win on Saturday. Substitute Eden Hazard scored the winner against Ligue 1's bottom club, an Antonín Panenka-style chipped penalty which was earned by Florent Balmont.
Team news
David Rozehnal serves a one-game ban and Túlio De Melo has been ruled out with a pulled thigh muscle. Garcia said that Benoît Pedretti (hip) "isn't fully fit", yet Idrissa Gueye (hand) could feature. Marko Baša is back after a shoulder injury.
Trabzonspor
Coach Şenol Güneş
Nobody believed in us at the start of the competition, but now we're in position to qualify for the last 16, which would be a great success for the club. A draw could qualify us, so we are in a better situation than Lille before the match. It's up to us to seize this opportunity, because we're not here to be just sparring partners.
Whatever the result of tomorrow's game, I'll be happy with our campaign. Lille have played some good matches in this group, but didn't always get the results they deserved: they're a very dangerous team and we'll have to be on our guard.
Weekend result
• Friday: Sivasspor 2-2 Trabzonspor (Pedriel 23, Erman Kılıç 75; Paulo Henrique 48, Volkan Şen 69)
Tolga; Serkan, Głowacki, Giray Kaçar, Čech; Volkan Şen (Aykut 77), Sapara (Alanzinho 59), Zokora, Mierzejewski (Halil Altıntop 81), Paulo Henrique; Burak
• Volkan Şen scored his first goal for the club and Paulo Henrique struck his first in the Super League as Trabzonspor extended their unbeaten away record this season – the last remaining in the Turkish top flight.
Team news
Güneş confirmed he has a full squad "except for Róbert Vittek", who is out until the new year with a knee ligament injury.
Match fact
Seven points is the lowest total with which a team has progressed from a UEFA Champions League group stage, since three points for a win was introduced in 1995/96. Eight sides have advanced with that tally, including eventual finalists Juventus in 2002/03.
